The Nineties: A Book

by Chuck Klosterman

It’s popular (and maybe reasonable) to claim that the labeling of any generation[*] is stupid and almost always wrong, but it does serve one essential function: It allows people to express prejudice toward large chunks of the populace without any risk. You can’t be sexist or racist or classist if the only enemy is someone’s date of birth. Younger generations despise older generations for creating a world they must inhabit unwillingly, an impossible accusation to rebuff. Older generations despise new generations for multiple reasons, although most are assorted iterations of two: They perceive the updated versions of themselves as either softer or lazier (or both). These categorizations tend to be accurate. But that’s positive. That’s progress. If a society improves, the experience of growing up in that society should be less taxing and more comfortable; if technology advances and efficiency increases, emerging generations should rationally expect to work less. If new kids aren’t soft and lazy, something has gone wrong.